Vegan Vanilla Protein Powder Review

Awesome! Thanks for the thourough review! Its so interesting to see how different personal preferences can be. I personally love all the Vega ones and I keep coming back to them though for you they were too sweet. I like the bobs ones but I dislike that the carb content is too high considering it should be lower as it is protein powder. Seeing as you like less sweet ones – I highly recommend trying the muscle pharm plant based versions and also Sunshine protein – fairly sure both are US brands, they are not too sweet and the flavour isnt overpowering :)

Thank you! This is the best round up I’ve seen and you have such nice detailed criteria. I haven’t found one I like after a long quest and I’m excited to try your top three (none of which I’ve had!)

Thanks for the reviews. I recently found out that the protein powder I have been using for the last year is actually contains some not very nice things, even though it is sold at my local health food store and came recommended. (They are normally careful about what they carry). So I’m looking for a new one. I’m going for the Bob’s. Have had good luck with their products. Thanks again and cheers!

Thank you so much for this! It’s extremely helpful because it’s so hard to figure out which powder is best just by a simple search on Amazon. You’ve done all the hard work for me! :) I really appreciate it and now, I know which ones are the best for me to try out.

hey any chance you can compare, mrm veggie protein powder, as well?

Thank you! I will try the bob mills, love most of the other stuff this brand makes. I have tried lots of vegan protein powders and my absolute favorite is Gardenia! You must try it if you have not already!

I am new to the vegan lifestyle and this information help me a great deal. THANK YOU!!

Thank you for this!!

Thank you so much – I’m having such a hard time finding a vegan powder that isn’t disgusting – since I love everything you make – I’m hoping that the bobs is usable!

THEY make a natural (no flavor, just a little sweet) and natural unsweetened versions of all the Vega protein powders, which are much better for smoothies than the vanilla (I find it has a stevia/chemical aftertaste).

Thank you so much for doing this review!!! I was having the hardest time deciding on a new protein powder and it helped so much. I’m going to try Bob’s Red Mill protein powder :)

Hello! Thanks for the post! I just discovered TERRA ORIGIN. And so far so good! I got it available cheaper at Marshalls & Home Goods. But it can be bought on Amazon or their site.

Thanks for providing these reviews – was a bit lost where to start with protein powder!

Thank you so much for this list! I appreciate your honesty and all the work put into creating it.

Wow, this is a great comparison. I am just beginning a journey to move to a more plant based diet, and needed to replace my 365 Whey Protein Powder with a plant based protein powder. WFs is my local shopping venue – and they pointed me to the Vega Vanilla. I used it for the first time today and I still can’t get the sweetness out of my mouth – Yuck.

I’m definitely going to try the Red Mill. Thanks for taking the time to do this comparison, and posting it. I’m looking forward to looking at your recipes, and giving some of them a try.

Fantastic review! My search for reviews on the Vega vanilla proteins & greens led me here. Your review has helped me dodge a bullet. I didn’t know Red Miĺl created protein powder, but I hope it’s available here in Canada. Would love to see a review on other flavors, like chocolate!

This is one of the most concise, helpful reviews I’ve ever read. Thank you for being so thorough & honest in your approach!

Thank you for your extensive review. I agree with your ranking for BRM. I am not vegan, but I have concerns with protein powders because I avoid grains and sugar. I also don’t want a high carb load and absolutely no protein isolates or soy. BRM is not perfect, because it has a little sugar and is whey-based, but it strikes the best balance to me and it does taste good. Carb load is the main concern for me. While BRM looks like it has a lot of carbs for a 2 scoop serving, the net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) are relatively low. I use just one scoop in my smoothie and the net carbs are only 3.5 grams, due mostly to the chia seeds, which are a welcome fiber boost. I liked Garden of Life, but was disappointed in its reliance on grains, so I had to stop using it. However, I understand they make a grain- free version now. After reading the comments, I may look into Arbonne. Thanks again!

I have tried numerous protein powders and found so many of them to taste bad or leave an after taste. My favorite that I have been using for several years now is Arbonne’s Protein Shake Mix, it is pea, cranberry, and brown rice protein. Certified Vegan and Gluten free, plus no soy. It comes in a chocolate or vanilla flavor and while I mix it with almond milk and fruit for different shakes, I can drink it with straight water and enjoy it. Love it, my favorite brand and I love their ingredient policy and the company. If you ever get the chance to try it, it is awesome.

Thanks so much for doing all the work required to review these products. I’ve been looking for a protein powder and didn’t know what to buy. I’m a fan of Bob’s Red Mill products, so I was sold. Ordered it from Amazon and I’ll have it in two days. What could be easier?

This was incredibly helpful. The formula from Garden of Life has changed, and many said they don’t like the new one. You put it at number 2, so I decided to give it a try. It’s very clean, and I’ve used successfully before, and love the live probiotics, etc.

I appreciate that you took the time to reveiw them all, so I didn’t have too gamble.

Thanks.

This is so helpful thank you! We love your site!

I read this review and decided to buy your number one favorite, Bob’s Red Mill Vanilla Protein Powder. I’ve only used it twice in smoothies but that was enough for me to rave about it. It makes everything taste great and it fills you up!

Thanks so much for doing your research so that the rest of us didn’t have to taste the bad protein powders ;)

I thank you for doing this article, I really have been looking around. I really don’t want to spend a lot of money trying them all out. So thank you so much!

This is exactly the protein powder review I’ve been looking for! Thank you so much!

Thank you for this review, would love to see it done annually! The Orgain protein powder used in this test was a MEAL replacement protein, which I agree is very gritty. I personally use the regular Orgain protein powder in both vanilla and chocolate flavors and find it to be very smooth. Texture is a deal breaker for me. I hope you’ll consider adding the regular protein powder in your next test. : )

This is a great resource- thank you SO much for rating these. I was so happy to read that your Sun Warrior rating was so low- it validated my experience with it. I was so perplexed because every time I looked up reviews on in, people seemed to mostly like it. I was so put-off by it, I threw the entire $40 jug away, which was so painful, not to mention wasteful!! I agree with your review on the Vega pp being WAY too sweet. Bought that, and had to throw that away (unfortunately I don’t know any vegans that would want to try the two I got rid of, plus, I really wouldn’t want to subject anyone to those two; such a waste.) Thanks again!

These are great reviews! thank you for being so detailed and specific! I really love trying new protein powders as well, and have tried some of the same ones!

Thank you so much for this review! I’m happy I’m not the only one who found Vega protein powders way too sweet. I feel like I can trust your recommendations because you seem to have about the same taste as me. Thanks again! :)

My husband and I are on the hunt for a vegan protein powder and your post was amazing: just what we wanted!! Thank you so much for your effort and honest criticism. The powders are expensive and you’ve saved us so much money in trial and error.

Thank you so much for doing this review. I’ve been struggling finding a vegan vanilla protein powder I really like. I’ve disliked hemp based powders. I’ve found one brown rice based one that’s pretty good, I’m just not a fan of the taste of stevia. That one is Rainbow Light Creamy Vanilla Protein Energizer. I appreciate the criteria you used and descriptions, I’ll be trying your top recommended!

Thank you for this!

Thank you so much for this! I tried a handful of really terrible powders and was starting to wonder if they just weren’t for me, but after reading this I went out and purchased the bobs red mill! It’s so different from the other ones I’ve tried – as you say it actually tastes good and makes smoothies taste better not worse! Cheers!

Thank you for the extensive review. I always wondered about vegan protein powder. Now I know which ones to try.

Thank you for this!! Im not a vegan but I want a good quality (and tasting) plant protein powder and it is soo hard to find one that tastes good to where you enjoy it! Most I try are simply awful! So this will help me narrow it down!
Thank you for your honest reviews!

Thank you for this review!!!

My only comment (which may have been made above … there were so many!!) is that the Vega Protein and Greens is bad with milk … but so good with water. It doesn’t mix well with the milks for some reason. So if you still have the container throw it in some water and try again. I had a contain for months that I was slowly drinking in milk to not waste it and one day when I ran out of milk I put it in water … so much better.

Strange I know. Thank you again.

Thank you–deeply, sincerely–for taking the time and trouble to do these reviews–and saving ME time and trouble in the bargain. I have just ordered Bob’s Red Mill vanilla and chocolate, as well as their whey for my son. Had gotten really tired of seeing all the additives in other brands. BRM’s is refreshingly simple. (BTW, I did my ordering from JET.COM, as a first-time customer. Much more reasonable than Amazon or the Red Mill site). (Much as I would have preferred to order directly from Bob’s Red Mill, the difference was enormous).

Additionally, if you don’t know Bob’s life story it is inspiring and worth reading–regardless of one’s beliefs.

THANK YOU! I was just about to spend money and time to do the exact same thing. This was extremely useful!!

THANK YOU for doing this post, so helpful!!! I’ve been putting off trying a protein powder for ages because I didn’t want to spend the energy and time of finding a good one, but now instead I can just read your reviews :-).

Thank you! Thank you, thank you thank you!

I could not be more grateful that you took one for the team when trying all of these! It’s so disheartening to spend a ton of money on a vegan protein powder and then discover that it’s, well, terrible.

I can’t wait to purchase and try bobs red mill! Every powder that scored low I have disliked for the same reasons so I’m encouraged that there is a “good one” out there :)

Wow, surprising! The Manitoba Harvest vanilla is my absolute FAVE vegan protein powder. It is very rare to find a vegan powder with no pea protein, which tends to make me feel very bloated. That said, I can certainly see why it would be awful for just mixing with almond milk, and I do see what you mean by the grittiness, though I don’t find it chalky.Thanks for the useful post though! I’m curious to try out a couple of the ones here that aren’t too pea-heavy, although I don’t think anything could sit as well in my stomach as the hemp one.

Hi Dana,

Great post as usual! I checked out the options they had at Costco and for my Canadian friends I really like the LeanFit CompleteGreen protein. It’s not expensive (approx $36 for 34 servings) and the sweetness and texture are on point :)

Dee x

Thank you — I have been looking for a good round up of non dairy protein powders. Really looking forward to trying Bob’s Red Mill and Garden Of Life.

So happy I discovered your blog.

Oh how I wish I would have seen this before buying VEGA PROTEIN & GREENS. Agree, it’s way too sweet. Oddly so. Will try others recommended here!

This was awesome! I agree with almost all of your reviews. I can’t wait to try Bob’s Red Mill protein!

Dana – I am an avid follower. I have been a vegan for about a year now and I constantly go to your website for nightly dinner options! I use the Iron Vegan – Sprouted Protein it is DELICIOUS and available on Amazon! I highly recommend it! Cheers

Thanks for the great breakdown! Glad to know I’m not insane when I try these high end, much publicized brands….and then return them to WF!

Bob’s looks like worth trying, but just to share my experience because you mentioned possibly stomach symptoms…I’ve read about how even the “organic” or high end pea proteins often go through a process called hydrolization (sp?) that causes them to often behave similar to MSG in the body (one of the symptoms can be tummy trouble). I’d been using and enjoying (flavor and texture wise) the NuZest for over a year, but started to feel like every time I used it I actually felt more sluggish and “heavy” after drinking my smoothie, no energized and good.

It’s not on amazon, nor is it cheap, but I tried this one from Sarasota Integrative Health (upon recommendation from a friend) and it’s really awesome! I’ve only tried the chocolate (and I DO like to add just a little extra raw cacao to my smoothies), but the hemp protein isn’t too “hempy” (you know, like drinking a j?) ;p, it blends great in the vita (i haven’t tried just mixing it into a smoothie) and most importantly I FEEL really good after I drink it. I will be trying the vanilla next. Of course, the ingredient list is small and I could probably figure out how to replicate it at home for less, but I like what SIH does and appreciate the efforts they went to to formulate this and not spending the time to DIY. Anyway, hope maybe it helps or you if you give it a try would love to know what you think!

Thank you for this review! I currently use a vegan protein powder I purchase from my doctor–that has the “Care Group” brand on it….however, I’ve been looking for another protein powder as a back up. I appreciate your comprehensive, organized, easy to use review. Thank you. Connie

ah, this is SO helpful. Thanks for doing this!! I’ve been looking into getting a vegan protein powder for a while now but i had no clue which to get haha. I’ve had the myprotein chocolate soy protein before and it was god, but i was wondering about what other brands would be like!! This review was so helpful, you laid it wall out so nicely, thanks again :)

I would love to see a post reviewing unflavored protein powders. I have tried to keep the clean, pure flavor of my green smoothies while adding protein but haven’t had success. Maybe that is just the nature of protein powders in general and what I’m looking for isn’t reasonable, but it sure would be good to know your thoughts!

My personal favourite is myprotein soy isolate. It has a very high protein content and is nearly pure protein- so it’s low calorie. It’s possibly not the best tasting (but it’s decent) but it’s very cheap as it’s frequently on sale for 60% off of an already cheap price. I’d definitely recommend it over any more expensive type.

Great info! I have tried the Orgain product and I agree that it did not wow me with its flavor so I was looking for a better option. I am going to try out the Bob’s Red Mill product.

What a thorough review, Dana! I’ll have to keep my eyes peeled for Bob’s Red Mill. I really like Whole Foods’ plant-based ‘Fit Protein’ powder; it’s relatively affordable and pretty tasty.

In addition to the qualities you have ranked, and the added comment from a reader regarding price per serving, it is also very important to know from where the ingredients are sourced and if they have any adverse health affects. For example, many raw materials are sourced from China for protein powders. I call companies and ask. China does not have the same purity standards as America. Additionally, some ingredients can lead to adverse health outcomes such as decreases in renal or liver function. Know what you are consuming and never believe the hype printed on the package. Educate yourself.

Reviews like this are much needed so thanks for taking the time to do it. Interesting that you went with vanilla first, which tends to be the hardest protein powder flavor to get right. My husband and I workout regularly and we tend to go for chocolate based flavors since they taste better with just water or almond milk when you’re in a rush. I actually really like Aloha’s chocolate powder. I’m not sure what you’re mixing method was, but when I put it in a blender/food processor I find that it blends really well and gets nice and thick–plus adding a banana for extra oomph only improves it. Also, since it’s available at Target it’s easy to find AND you can use coupons on it (it’s way more expensive on Amazon).

Life’s basics vanilla pea protein is my fav. A must try on amazon prime.

Thank you so very much for this review of vegan protein powders. I’ve recently been diagnosed with a long list of food allergies including wheat, soy, corn, lentils which makes a vegan food plan even more challenging than before. This list will help me wade through these options.

Thank you for doing this post! Vanilla flavored protein powders have been so disappointing for me. So I switched to chocolate and found that Vega’s chocolate protein powder isn’t bad when blended with a frozen banana and coconut milk.

Another take-away: Bob’s Red Mill has a protein powder?!

I bought the Garden of Life protein powder based on your recommendation in your Popped Amaranth Protein Bars (https://minimalistbaker.com/no-bake-vegan-protein-bars-4-ingredients/#more-21220). I’m relieved to see it come out close to the top here!

I haven’t had the chance to use it, but I’m glad you did this review. Even if I like this one, once I run out I’ll probably buy Bob’s Red Mill instead. Their products have never let me down and I try to support the (employee owned!) business as much as I can.

I wish i had read this sooner! great review – thank you. I just bought a BIG tub of the vega greens and protein vanilla powder from costco, and its so disgusting. i have a tried a few of the others you reviewed, and i think our taste buds are similar :) So i will try the bob’s powder and hope for the best.

Bob’s is $1.81/oz on the Bob’s Red Mill Web Site. On Amazon, $5.19/oz!!!!!!!!!! Insanity!

Vega with greens is my favorite. Funny how tastes can vary!

Good post! I used Garden of Life and I like it a lot, tastes great (I prefer this lack of sweetenes) & it´s organic. Fully support your opinion

Very much appreciate the thorough review!

You should try Nutiva plant protein! It’s one of my faves!!